My heart inside your hand
by ohmypreciousgirl
Summary: Sometimes, Elena wishes she believed in soulmates and fate. It'd be so much easier to understand every single feeling she has for Damon. Set in the future.


They love to spend their nights in their home.

Today, Elena is reading on the couch with her head resting on Damon's lap, while he watches TV and absentmindedly plays with her hair. Today's book of choice was Damon's gift to her for Valentine's Day and, from the few pages she read already, it's become one of her favorite books.

"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where", Elena begins to read out loud. "I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I don't know any other way of loving."

She smiles softly and closes the book to look at Damon. He's watching her with a soft expression and the familiar vulnerability in his eyes she always sees when she makes a declaration of love.

He doesn't say anything, just leans down and kisses her lips gently. His hands cup her face; his thumbs stroke her cheeks tenderly while his mouth shows her just how much he appreciates her action.

It's not the first time Elena's done something like this, using other people's words to describe her feelings for Damon. And every single time she's done it, he's always touched by her subtle declarations.

It has never stopped amazing her that, even after several years together, he still looks at her the same way he did when they first got together and declarations of love weren't a casual occurrence.

She doesn't have any idea what she'd do with her life if one day she lost that. She can't even picture her future without him in it nor does she ever want to.

There's no Elena without Damon.

* * *

Elena opens her eyes slowly, blinking several times as they adjust to the bright sunlight streaming through the gap in the shades. As her vision goes back to focus, she finds Damon sleeping peacefully next to her, his face slack, arms hugging his pillow as he sleeps on his stomach. _Beautiful_, she thinks. Her eyes slowly trace the handsome contours of Damon's face, committing every single feature to memory.

"Good morning, my creepy girl," Damon says with his eyes closed, startling her by his voice.

"Says the guy who does the same, " she protests, her hand reaching out to touch his hair and gently run her fingers through it.

"I do not stare at you while you sleep!"

"Liar," She grumbles.

Damon flashes his most innocent look. "I'm many things, Gilbert, but not a liar."

She rolls her eyes. "Whatever, Salvatore."

He smirks at her and she huffs annoyed. Then, the sound of his laugh fills up the room and her annoyance suddenly vanishes. She tries to keep a straight face, but she fails when he leans forward and starts scattering kisses across her face, his tongue trailing down her neck.

"Damon," she moans when he bits the sensitive spot on her neck.

"Beautiful," he mutters against her skin. She smiles and buries her hand in his hair, pulling at it to make him look at her. They stare into each other's eyes for a moment before Elena grabs his head and pulls him to a passionate kiss.

"We fit so perfectly," she whispers as she turns her back to him, pressing against his chest. He wraps his arms around her waist, snuggling her close.

"You seem surprised," he says sounding a little confused by her declaration.

"I'm not", she tells him, stroking his hand.

She isn't lying. Thinking about their story and everything they went through to be together, words like destiny and fate seem to be suitable even for a skeptic like her.

Elena doesn't believe in destiny or soulmates; however every time she's next to Damon she wishes she did.

* * *

Elena is going through her old stuff when she finds an old, unmarked CD. Curious about its contents, she gets up and places it into the CD player. In matter of seconds the familiar notes of "All I need" fills up the room, bringing back memories from a time she's taught herself to forget.

"Are you taking a trip down memory lane, Elena?"

She jumps, startled by his voice. "I just found a CD," she shrugs, turning to look at him. "I had no idea it had this song".

He grins and stretches out his hand, "may I have this dance?"

She smiles softly, accepting his hand. He pulls her closer to his body, one hand on the small of her back and the other holding her hand, leading her effortlessly across the room. For a moment the room around her shifts, fades and reappears as the Founder's Hall during the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant. The memory is shattered by Damon's soft kiss on her cheek.

"You know… I never told you, but it was during the Miss Mystic Falls dance that I realized I was falling in love with you", he whispers in her ear.

A lump forms in her throat and she feels her eyes stinging as she fights back the tears. She wants to say _me too_, but that would be a lie. Of course, she was affected by the dance and remembers how magical it felt back then, but at that time she had only eyes for Stefan and Damon was only an afterthought. She is aware Damon suffered for a long time because of her feelings for his brother and imagining all the pain he went through made her heart hurt so much. She hates to remember the fact that she used to be the cause of Damon's pain. She can't stand the idea of Damon hurting and, sometimes, she hates herself for falling for Stefan when she was younger. She knows it's irrational and it wasn't her fault, but she can't help how she feels about her past.

"Elena, why are you crying?"

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice they stopped dancing and with Damon touching her tear stained face, carrying a worried look on his face.

"I… I love you so much, Damon", she says before she throws her arms around him and buries her face on his neck. He makes soothing sounds while Elena sobs, rubbing calming circles on her back.

"I love you too, Elena."

She nods. "I know, but you don't understand."

"Why don't you explain to me then?" he asks pushing her away from him, so he can look at her. From time to time, Elena would break down for no apparent reason. If Damon was around her, he would sit and wait for her to explain why she was crying. It's a rare occasion for her to share the reason of her affliction with him.

"Sometimes it overwhelms me," she tells him the partial truth. She doesn't want him to know how guilty she feels because of her past. She knows he doesn't like to remember the hard times they lived, but sometimes the past reappears and she loses control.

"What?"

"How much I love you," she reveals. He opens his mouth to reply, but she cuts him off. "You have no idea… I can't even put it into words. It's like love is such small word to describe every single thing I feel for you. I wish I had the words, but I don't."

"Hey, don't forget you're talking to me. I know exactly how you feel", he says with a smile on his lips, the worry slowly slipping away from his face. He cups her face on his hands and kisses her lips slowly. She knows he's aware that she's not telling the entire truth, but after so many years together he understands that she doesn't need any added pressure and she's grateful for it. Damon understands she'll tell him when she's ready.

"Never let me go, Damon," she begs him. "There won't be any me without you."

"I'll always be with you, Elena. I won't ever leave you," he promises her.

She crushes him in her arms, squeezing him tightly.

"We're forever, Damon."

* * *

Elena feels herself gain consciousness, still in the strange place between being awake and sleeping. For a split second, she wonders what woke her up before she looks up and finds Damon staring at her.

"Why are you not sleeping?" she mutters closing her eyes again.

"Insomnia."

She cracks her eyes open for a moment and nods. Sometimes Damon's insomnia gets the better of him, but instead of getting up and distracting his mind, he would rather lie beside her and watch her sleep. Unlike other people, she didn't find it disturbing; it was kind of touching to know someone you love is looking after you.

She closes her eyes again when she feels him moving closer to her body. One of his hand move to rest on her thigh, rubbing it gently and acting as a lullaby to help her fall back to sleep.

* * *

Damon is standing in front of his open closet, going through his clothes trying to find something appropriate to wear for Caroline and Stefan's engagement dinner. Elena is sprawled on their bed, the white sheet covering her body. She tilts her head to the side to get a better look at him, watching him quietly as he moves around the room.

She loves to watch his body. All his movements are fluid, and after years of watching him, she's concluded that Damon doesn't have one awkward bone is his body. He is a man who is comfortable in his own skin and as such, exudes confidence that shows in every step he takes.

Elena lets her gaze linger on his naked body, appreciating the beautiful view he's providing her.

She hears him chuckling, before turning around to look at her. He doesn't say anything when he catches her watching him, just a huge grin on his face.

There's nothing more beautiful than Damon radiating happiness.

* * *

Elena could hear Damon moving around in the kitchen, opening and closing the fridge door and the familiar noise of a microwave being programmed. She knows in a few seconds he'll enter their room with a cup of warm blood and a Godiva milk chocolate bar, his special medication for when she is sad.

She hears his steps across the aisle and the door being cracking opened, but she stays still in the bed, staring at ceiling. She only moves when she feels the bed dip as Damon climbs in next to her.

"Hey," she sits up, giving him a sad smile.

"Hey yourself," he answers with a guarded expression. "I brought you some warm blood and chocolate," he pushes the cup in her hands before he starts to rip open her favorite chocolate bar.

Damon doesn't ask if she's okay or if she wants to talk. He just sits quietly beside her, watching Elena drink her blood and savor the chocolate. No one has ever understood her like Damon.

Elena gives him the cup after she finishes it. When she's about to lie down again, his hands stop her.

"Can you stay like this for a moment? I just want to give you something," she frowns and nods. He gives her a small smile before getting out of bed and walking toward the closet. He opens the last drawer of his side and takes out a big burgundy velvet box. Elena feels her curiosity building with every step he takes.

He sits in front of her, his eyes locked with hers.

"I understand how you feel today and how much you loathe the date, but…" he trails off, shaking his head. "Here," Damon offers the box to her.

She opens it and an involuntary gasp escapes her mouth. It's one of the most beautiful necklaces she has ever seen. Elena isn't an expert in jewelry, but she could easily identify amethyst and the pearl in that beautiful pendant.

"It belonged to my mother," he explains. Elena takes her eyes off the necklace and gazes up at him, waiting for more information. "Aside from you, she was the only woman who truly loved me. It's fitting, I guess," he shrugs.

Elena presses her lips together, trying to easy the lump in her throat.

"Thank you. I loved it," she says before she drapes herself over him, burying her face into the crook of his shoulder.

"I love you", he whispers in her ear.

"Come on," she pulls away from him. "Let's cuddle."

He chuckles, lying down beside her. Elena moves closer, curling up against his body as her hands smooth over his chest. He put his arm around her, giving her a quick squeeze before taking her small hands into his.

"Why today?" she inquiries, breaking the comfortable silence.

He sighs. "I know today will always be the day you lost your parents, but to me it was the day I found you."

Elena doesn't know what to say. "I'm sorry. I just…"

"Hey, none of that! I know, Elena."

She presses her face against his chest, inhaling his smell. She knows she doesn't need to explain to him, that he gets her pain; but it seems so unfair the day she met the love of her life was the same day she had her most traumatizing experience.

"I love you," she muffles into his chest.

"I know."

They stay quiet for a moment, one of his hands caressing Elena's head.

"I'm so glad I met you, even if it was in the worst night of my life."

He kisses the top of her head. "Me too."

* * *

"Let's do something crazy today," Elena says, sipping her coffee.

Damon raises his eyebrow. "Define crazy."

Elena shrugs, taking another sip from her cup. "Instead of doing whatever we were going to do during our date tonight, let's pack our bags right now, go to airport and take the first flight out of here."

"Someone woke up on the spontaneous side of the bed today," he says leaning for a kiss. "I like it."

She smiles. "You'll like it more when you see what I bought for us when I went to Victoria's Secret yesterday."

"Minx," he whispers against her lips.

"You love it," she grins, pulling Damon in another kiss.

* * *

Elena wakes up to the feel of Damon's lips on her cheek, his hands massaging her waist.

"Wake up, birthday girl."

"Hmmm," she mumbles, burying her face in the pillow. "No."

"It's eleven a.m., you've slept enough!"

"Damon, no!" she screams when she feels him grabbing the sheets and yanking them from her.

"Happy birthday to you," he smirks at her when she sits, pulling the sheet tighter around her. She brushes back the hair from her face, blinking furiously to bring things into focus.

"Okay, you won! I'm awake," she sulks.

"Oh pouty!" he mocks, sitting in front of her. She narrows her eyes, but doesn't say anything. He snickers at her face before pressing a kiss on her forehead.

"Happy birthday, grumpy," he says, cupping her face and kissing her passionately.

"Come on, I made breakfast for you," he picks her up bridal style, making Elena squeal in delight.

"Oh, my beautiful Dark Knight," she says playfully, pecking him on the lips. Damon laughs at her silliness, carrying her to the dining room.

"Hmmm, all my favorite food," she approves when she sees the table. "Ah, you bought me an Ariel cupcake this year!"

The first birthday after her transition, Damon bought her Minnie cupcakes as a joke seeing as she was a "baby vampire now and children love candy and Disney characters, Elena". Since then, the ritual has become tradition.

"Here," he gives her Tiffany & Co gift box. She sighs and gives him a look.

"Don't even start, Elena. It's your birthday."

She shakes her head, but keeps quiet. She opens the box and she smiles when she sees a bracelet with the infinity symbol.

"It's beautiful, Damon," she kisses him.

"Eat," he points at her food with a smile on his face.

"So, what you want today?" he asks her, biting his toast.

_You, always you_, Elena thinks while observing Damon's movements. She bites her lips, avoiding saying the obvious answer out loud.

She kisses him, instead.

* * *

Elena finds Damon at the piano, his eyes closed, fingers dancing across the keys. She watches as he plays a song she has never heard him play before. Quietly, she walks across the room, and sits next to him on the piano bench. He doesn't acknowledge her presence, but keeps playing the song without a care in the world. She let her eyes flutter closed, losing herself in the music too.

The song gradually slows down, stopping on a soft note.

"I thought you said you'd go to sleep," he says drily, purposely not looking at her.

"I didn't want to go to bed mad at you", she explains. "But come on! Let's agree that sometimes you're overprotective! I can take care of myself; I'm not some fragile human anymore."

"Just because you're a vampire doesn't mean you can't die!" he explodes.

Elena closes her eyes, massaging her temple.

"Damon, you freaked out because I didn't answer the phone for a couple of hours!"

"A couple of hours? Try eight hours!" he vociferates. "Something serious could have happened!"

She sighs, exasperated. "Damon…"

"No, Elena," he cuts her off. "I have every right to be pissed at you! Or did you forget the fact that last year you were kidnapped by a vampire hunter and almost killed? Because I can't!"

Elena takes a sharp breath, realizing the problem and feeling an idiot for not realizing it sooner.

"I'm sorry, Damon," she utters, the guilt creeping up on her.

He shakes his head and tries to turn his back to her, but Elena is faster and grabs his hands in hers. "I'm truly sorry, Damon."

He licks his lips. "I can't lose you, Elena."

"You won't. Ever," she promises.

He sighs and pulls her against him. She wraps her arms tightly around his waist, allowing him the physical comfort he obviously needs.

"I'm never gonna leave you, Damon."

* * *

"Please, tell me you didn't wake me up at 5 am so we could watch the sun rise and have a meaningful talk about how we should be grateful that I'm alive to have another birthday," Damon complains.

Elena rolls her eyes, annoyed at his behavior. "For someone who will live forever, you're terrible whiny after only 179 birthdays."

"I'm not whiny," he grumbles, making Elena muffles a laugh.

"Whatever you say, Grumpy", she teases, nudging him with her elbow.

"So, do you want to tell me why we're here at this hour?" he inquires when they stop walking, Elena standing a few steps away from him.

She brought him to her favorite beach in Santa Monica. She loves living so close to such beautiful place and the nice scenary is definitely necessary for what she plans on doing. She takes a deep breathe, the nervousness making her throat constrict slightly.

"I just wanted a beautiful location for this moment", she manages to say, moving close enough to touch his hands.

Damon narrows his eyes, inclining his head slightly to the side.

"Why are you so nervous?"

She swallows drily, and then shakes her head. "I… Just listen to me, okay?"

He doesn't say anything, but nods.

"Ten years ago, I met this man in the middle of road and he told me that I wanted a love that consumed me, that I wanted passion, adventure and even a little of danger," Elena smiles when she sees the emotion reflecting in Damon's features. "Then, when I asked him what he wanted, he told me that he wanted me to get everything I was looking for."

Elena's hands come up to cradle his face, she draws closer to him, her body brushing his slightly.

"That same man told me later that I shouldn't sit and wait life come to me, but I should go after it."

"He sounds like a very wise man," he whispers, his voice filled with emotion.

"He has his moments," she teases, smiling softly.

"And what is it you want, Elena?" his eyes locks on her, a bit of concern showing in the way he looks at her.

"You. Forever," she replies quietly, her voice faltering a little.

He frowns. "You have me, Elena. Forever. No questions here."

She bits her lip nervously before shaking her head. "It's not what…" she trails off, her hands leaving his face. He looks confused while he watches Elena fumbles around in her pocket. Elena sees his eyes wide with surprise when she shows him a ring.

"I want you to be my husband, Damon, "she confesses. "Will you marry me?"

He opens and closes his mouth, shock written all over his face. For a moment, Elena feels a little bad for Damon. It's a handful of events that Elena remembers seeing Damon speechless.

"I'm pretty sure it's the man that should pop that question," he scoffs.

"That's a bit sexist, don't you think?" she mocks him, relived he's teasing her. It's a good signal.

"I'm a man from the 1800's, babe," he winks at her.

She shakes her head, her hands shaking a little thanks to her nerves. "So?"

He licks his lips. "Like I could say anything aside yes," he mutters, grabbing her face and crushing her lips to his.

"Okay, stop now. We're in a public place, Damon," she pushes him away when he tries to grind his hips into hers.

"Spoilsport," he pouts, his hands squeezing her ass.

"Come on, give me your hand," she asks, yanking his left arm. He doesn't say anything, holding out his hand. Elena smiles widely at him as she slides the ring onto his finger.

"Does this match my eyes?" he asks playfully.

Elena rolls her eyes. "Like I'd choose a ring that wouldn't make your eyes shine."

Damon laughs openly. "Wait, does this mean I have to wear the bridal gown and veil?"

Elena hits his arm. "You're an ass."

He smirks at her. "And you still want me as your husband."

"What can I say? Love is blind, after all," she sighs. "Come on, let's go."

She walks a couple of steps before she feels Damon's arms around her, lifting her bridal style. She squeals when he spins them around.

"You're crazy, you know?" she says when he puts her on the ground again.

"And you love it." She shakes her head with a smile on her face. The happiness reflecting on his face and she's proud to be the one to put it there. Elena grins at him, her arms circling his neck, her body completely against his. The moment she feels Damon relax into her hold, Elena knows she made the right decision when she proposed.

* * *

"Until the death do us part," Elena whispers against Damon's lips.

"Until the death do us part," he repeats.

She presses one last kiss on his lips before laying her head back down his chest. He kisses her forehead when her hand rests in the middle of his chest, her wedding band sparkling thanks to the soft light coming through the blinds. She closes her eyes, concentrating all her thoughts on her wedding ceremony. The image of Damon saying "I do" and the promise of forever follow Elena into her dreams.

**Fin**

**A.N.: **The book Elena is reading in the beginning of the fic is "100 Love Sonnets" by Pablo Neruda. And the birthday dates I used was the beginning of September (Elena – TV canon) and October 31th (Damon – Book canon). If you want to see the cupcakes and jewelry, please go to my livejournal (naty-seixas).


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